HUNGER AND STARVATION. 



483 



In order to investigate the condition of inanition it is necessary (1) to weigh 

 the animal daily; (2) to estimate daily all the C and N given off from the body 

 in the faeces, urine, and expired air. The N and C, of course, can only be 

 obtained from the decomposition of tissues containing them. 



The following table from Bidder and Schmidt shows the amounts of the 

 different excreta in the case of a starved cat : 



The cat lost 1,197 grm. in weight before it died, and this amount 

 is apportioned in the following way: 204*43 grm. (=17*01 per cent.); 

 loss of albumin, 132*75 grm. ( = 11-05 percent.); loss of fat, 863*82 

 grm., loss of water (=71 '91 per cent, of the total body-weight). 



Amongst the general phenomena of inanition, it is found that 

 strong, well-nourished dogs die after 4 weeks, man after 2124 days 

 (Moleschott) (6 melancholies who took water died after 41 days) ; 

 small mammals and birds, 9 days, and frogs 9 months. Vigorous 

 adults die when they lose ^ of their body-weight, but young 

 individuals die much sooner than adults. 



The symptoms of inanition are obvious: The mouth is dry, the 

 walls of the alimentary canal become thin, and the digestive secretions 

 cease to be formed, pulse-beats and respirations are fewer; urine 

 very acid from the presence of an increased amount of sulphuric 

 and phosphoric acids, whilst the chlorine compounds rapidly diminish 



